1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a protectively encapsulated radio frequency identification device (RFID) and method of use. The invention further relates to an improved method for the sanitary processing of animals that utilizes the novel RFID. By incorporating the inventive RFID in the unique processing method disclosed herein, greater levels of safety and sanitation will be available while at the same time improving the palatability and consistency of the meat product.
2. Description of the Related Art
There exists a need in the meat packing industry for a method of tracking and identifying the various steps and procedures involved in preparing and processing an animal for human consumption. This need has arisen as a result of consumers and advocate groups"" demands for cleaner facilities and safer meat handling methods. As a result many proponents have advocated for increased product sanitation by forcing processing plants to ensure that during each stage of the processing procedure the sanitary quality of the product remains uncompromised.
In an attempt to address this highly significant concern many meat processors have instituted tracking systems within their processing plants. These systems are intended to give the plant operators the ability to control all procedures which each animal is subjected to on an individual basis. Such specific tasking control will allow the operator the ability to ensure that each and every animal that enters the processing line is subjected to every sterilization and sanitation procedure without variance.
While these tracking systems are an essential addition to the meat processing industry, those systems which have been implemented have failed in a number of regards. Foremost of the problems that the various manufacturers of tracking systems have failed to take into account, is the extremely hostile environment of a meat processing plant.
It is apparent that the need remains within the meat packing industry for a an improved, low cost, simple maintenance, and unobtrusive tracking system that is capable of operating within the hostile environment of a meat processing plant. To meet this continued tracking system need the presently disclosed invention proposes utilizing the disclosed RFID and associated novel processing method as an ideal solution.
The inventive system disclosed herein addresses the aforementioned problems in addition to many others. By employing a novel encapsulated radio frequency identification device into an improved animal processing system a resulting method for processing animals is created that increases safety and sanitation levels.
Radio frequency identification tags are known to be used in the food processing and other industries. The PROTECH Labeling Systems, PROTag(trademark) Electronic Trolley Identification System is an example of using a radio identification tag to track shackles through a food smokehouse. The PROTag(trademark) system differs from the proposed system in that the PROTag(trademark) system encloses a radio frequency identification tag into an elastomeric form which screws into a stainless steel or plastic mounting ring. Such mounting does offer some degree of physical protection to the tag from the outside environment, but the mounting ring may be damaged or break off making repair or replacement difficult.
The proposed RFID overcomes this prior application by completely enclosing the radio tag within a novel molded protective resin form. The resulting encapsulated RFID disclosed herein offers a greater amount of physical protection for the tag itself, and also prolongs the useful life of the tag. The proposed system is also easier to install, and maintain than present art. When employed as the tracking component of the system described, the RFID will allow the user to track every operation of the system which will help to insure uniform application of all sanitary procedures.
In addition to improving the degree of sanitation in the meat packing industry, the present invention addresses a second need as well. Recent surveys and studies by the National Cattleman""s Beef Association (NCBA) and others have found that possibly as much as a third of the potential consumer market has stopped eating many meat products, especially beef, due to a perceived lack of palatability. As a result of such findings it is apparent that a need exists to develop a means of increasing beef palatability in order to regain this lost market share. Consequently, in addition to improving sanitary practices within processing plants, the novel processing method disclosed herein utilizes a system of sterilizing rinses and cooling injections to lower the pH levels within the animal carcass. This injection procedure has the benefit of giving the meat a more appealing and uniform color, texture, tenderness and taste. Furthermore, the disclosed treatment also increases shelf-life and retards premature spoilage.
The combination of benefits described above and further described herein, are the consequence of utilizing, in combination, the novel encapsulated radio frequency identification tag and the further novel use of the Meat Processing Service Corporation (MPSC) Rinse and Chill Technique (RandCT). The RandCT process uses a pH lowering and temperature reducing solution to rinse out residual blood through the RandCT process, bringing about a natural change in pH which bestows many benefits. There are also other benefits that are not related to pH reduction that the RandCT provides, such as easier removal of the hide. The encapsulated radio frequency identification tag and RandCT system combine to form a processing system with greatly improved sanitary and safety features while at the same time dramatically increasing the value of the end meat product.
In the inventive method for the sanitary rinsing of an animal, an assembly line is provided which includes a plurality of shackles. Each shackle includes an inventive RFID tag which includes a machine readable unique shackle number. Once an animal is stunned and attached to a shackle the animal is moved to a weighing station, which is equipped with an RFID tag reader, weighs the animal and transmits the weight and shackle number to a computer where the data is recorded in a database. The animal is then bled and moved to a rinsing station, which is equipped with an RFID tag reader which reads the shackle number. The system then looks up the weight of the animal to be rinsed at that particular rinsing station and calculates the amount of solution to inject into the circulatory system of the animal. After the end of the hose and nozzle and the operator""s hands are sanitized, which is verified by the system, the nozzle is inserted into an entry point into the circulatory system and the operator starts the flow of the predetermined amount of solution into the animal. If the flow is not started within a time window, the operator must resanitize.
The inventive RFID tag is made by pouring curable liquid into a preformed mold to a first predetermined depth. A predetermined time is allowed to pass to permit the curable liquid to gel, but not sufficient to allow the liquid to fully cure. The circuitry is then placed upon the surface of the now gelled liquid and the mold is filled to a second predetermined depth with additional curable liquid. A second predetermined amount of time is allowed to pass to allow both the first and second depths of the poured curable liquid to fully cure and attain a homogeneous interface between the two depths, thereby preventing the occurrence of a seam between the two depths of now cured liquid.
This method produces an encapsulated RFID which keeps all metal objects at least xc2xc, but preferably xc2xd inch away so that the metal objects do not interfere with the radio frequency communication. The encapsulating material is a polyurea elastomer compound.
An alternative embodiment of the system and method utilizes a tag with the schackle number encoded and a reader which can read the tag. The number can be encoded using any existing encoding technique which is machine readable.